Laurie McKern
It starts with a sketch, a whisper of a memory or the way light falls on a vintage dress. Laurie McKern doesn’t just paint — she conjures.
Writer: Lara Allport
LAURIE MCKERN
LAURIE McKern’s art is a delicious paradox: rooted in nostalgia yet strikingly contemporary, deeply personal yet universally resonant. Whether through emotive landscapes or figurative works woven with dreamlike storytelling, she captures something just beyond reach — half-remembered, half-imagined.
BIRD BATH
“I’m influenced by the environment where I am working from,” Laurie explains. “I tend to work on landscapes when I'm travelling and figurative narratives when I’m in the studio.” And travel she does. From Venice to Cuba, Ireland to her beloved Northern Beaches, Laurie carries a sketchbook wherever she goes, embracing the immediacy of en plein air painting. Back in her studio, these fleeting moments find permanence on canvas. Laurie’s figurative works, often with a distinctly 1950s aesthetic, reflect a childhood steeped in vintage glamour. “My love of nostalgia began playing in my grandmother’s sewing studio,” she recalls. “She was a talented seamstress with a collection of exquisite old dresses. She also introduced me to black-and- white films and family photo albums, shaping my aesthetic.” It’s no wonder Laurie’s paintings feel cinematic, as if they belong to a long-lost film reel or a treasured Polaroid.
LEDA AND THE SWAN
Narrative is at the heart of Laurie’s work, drawing from mythology, literature, and cultural icons. Her pieces reference everything from Leda and The Swan to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring—reinterpreted through her own lens. “Sometimes, a textile background will suggest a story to me,” she says. “Other days, I focus on atmosphere. It really depends on my mood.”
BIRDIE KISSES
ROLLEIFLEX CHEESE
Her artistic evolution has been anything but linear. With a background in illustration and graphic arts, Laurie has dabbled in collage, textiles, encaustics, and printmaking. “It’s taken a long time to merge all my favourite elements into one style,” she admits. Gone are the hyper-realistic renderings of her early years. Instead, bold colours, loose brushstrokes, and dynamic design take centre stage. Her influences range from Tim Burton’s whimsical darkness to the lyrical compositions of Michael Carson, Milt Kobayashi, and the Group of Seven, a collective of Canadian landscape painters.
THE BIG CATCH
THE LOBSTER LADY
After a successful solo show at KAB Gallery in Pymble, Laurie took a well- earned break — but now, she’s back in full swing. “I’m madly catching up with commitments to various galleries and group shows,” she says. Among her upcoming ventures are large- scale works for Art Gallery on Avalon Beach, where she’s a resident artist, and a much-anticipated showing at the Affordable Art Fair with Art Gallery on Darling.
POINCIANA
THE CORAL COAST
Despite the hustle, Laurie remains grounded in gratitude. “I feel lucky that I get to paint most days — I absolutely love it. And knowing that collectors welcome my work into their homes? That’s the icing on the cake.” Laurie McKern is not just capturing moments — she’s curating dreams, inviting us to step inside and stay a while.
TEA & TOILE DE JOUY
